Oil-burning air heater with means for draining spilled oil



E. B. BARNES OIL-BURNING AIR HEATER WITH MEANS 0 'DRAINING SPILLED OIL Original Filed Spt. 17, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV ENTO R Elias B. Barnes ATTORN EY April 1952 E. B. BARNES 2,591,039

OIL-BURNING AIR HEAT R wrrn MEANS FOR DRAINING SPi LLED OIL Original Filed Sept. 17, 1945 e zq 1 3 Sheets-She et 2 40 I no INVENTOR E/imr B. Barman BY amok/W ATTORN EY A rii 1,1952 53B. BARNES [2,591,039

OIL-BURNING AIR aim'rsfi WITH 1 5R DR'AINING SPILLED' on.

Original Filed Sept. 17, 1945 s Shets-Sheet s )INVENTOR Eh'aa B. Bar/re;

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 1, 1952 OIL-BURNING AIR HEATER WITH MEANS FOR DRAINING SPILLED OIL Elias B. Barnes, Elkhart, Ind.

Original application September 17, 1945, Serial No. 616,771, now Patent No. 2,473,562, dated June 21, 1949. Divided and this application November 19, 1948, Serial No. 60,851

3 Claims.

My invention pertains to an improved heating and ventilating unit and system of installation and this application is a division of my copending patent application Serial No. 616,771 filed September 17, 1945, now patent No. 2,473,562, granted June 21, 1949. i

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved heater installation for heating and ventilating small enclosures, suchv as trailers and small cabins.

It is also an object of my invention to provide I an improved arrangement or system of installation for a heater installed over a fioor aperture for heating and ventilating a trailer or similar small enclosure.

It is a further object of my invention to provide such a heater embodying a fuel oil tank with control valve and connections demountable as a separate unit for convenience in cleaning and replacement.

A further object of my invention is to provide for such a heating and ventilating unit a funneling floor mounting base which serves as a funnel to drain oif any spilled fuel oil and which may also serve as a vent to supply fresh ventilating air to the unit.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of the invention, such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economics of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification in conjunction with the drawings disclosing specific embodiments'of the invention in which:

' .Fig. 1 is a front elevational view showing the heating and ventilating unit mounted on the fioor mounting base;

Fig. 2 i a plan view thereof, with top broken away;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the 'unit on line 33 in Fig. 2; v Fig. 4 is a plan view of the floor mounting base; Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view on line -55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 .is a rear elevational view of the fuel oil tank with control and connections as a removable unit; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing how the unit may be enclosed in a closet having only two openings into an enclosure to be heated and ventilated.

- Referring more specifically to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that my improved laterally diffusing air heating and changing unit comprises an outer housing II for partially insulating and enclosing a combustion chamber I3 of a generally similar shape and smaller dimensions so that the walls are spaced apart for providing adequate air circulating spaces. The combustion chamber is preferably of a rectangular shape in all horizontal sections to provide ample heat radiating surfaces. The top walls Ho and Ila respectively of the combustion chamber I3 and the enclosing insulated housing I I slope upwardly from back to front, and the outer housing is open at the front, to facilitate the upward and forward movement of heated air to be projected out from the open front side of the housing, as may be seen in Fig; 3. The side, back and top walls of the outer combustion chamber housing I I are of a double construction enclosing insulation spaces which are filled with any suitable insulation material I5, such as rock wool, asbestos or the like.

As may be seen in Fig. 3, the front wall I! of the combustion chamber is provided with a small aperture I9 and this wall is removable for providing convenient access to any suitable fuel or oil burner mounted therein. The aperture I9 is large enough for inserting a taper or match to the burner and is preferably circular and closed by means of a disc 2| of sheet metal pivotally secured on one side by a rivet 23 passing therethrough into the removable front wall of the combustion chamber.

An air inlet passage 33 is provided in the space under the combustion chamber I3 and opening toward the open front side of the housing for drawing combustion air off the floor to supply air to the burner 34 in the combustion chamber,-in a manner to be more fully described. As may be seen in Fig. 3, a pipe connection or nipple 35 opens through the lower back portion of the sloping top wall of the combustion chamber for discharging the products of combustion therefrom. The upper end of the pipe nipple 35 is crimped to reduce the diameter and provide for conveniently receiving and snugly fitting the lower end of any suitable stack pipe 31 which may be inserted down thereonto, through a larger opening 39 provided in the upper wall I Ia of the insulating or combustion chamber housing I I, for discharging the products of combustion externally of the enclosure to be heated. From the larger opening 39 in the upper wall of the housing a short sleeve M of larger diameter extends upwardly in spaced relation around the stack 31. An aperture'83 is provided in the side of the sleeve M to permit air flow out from the sleeve to the blower. A bafile plate 45 is provided attached to the upper wall I3a of the combustion chamber near the front, as by spot welding, and sloping down toward the back for causing the products of com bustion to circulate around and transmit heat to the side walls before passing up the smoke pipe 31.

An oil tank 47 is mounted on the rear end of the sloping top wall of the enclosing housing from whence pipes 49 and 59 pass down to the oil burner 34 through any suitable valve 5i (a well known constant level float valve is shown) controlled by a handle 53 through a long rod 55, which passes up through a pipe 55a, soldered in the top and bottom wall of the tank. A screw cap '56 on the top wall of the tank provides con venient access for filling with fuel oil. As the oil tank is substantially above the burner, the rate oi fuel flow does not vary substantially as the oil level varies from full tank to empty tank level, and a fairly accurate calibration is obtained by noting the position of the valve for the desired heat capacity under various conditions of weather and climate. The lower part of pipe 49 may support a piece of pipe forming a sediment sump 51 below the tank, as shown in Fig. 3, or which may be omitted, if desired. The front part of the bottom wall of the tank is suitably sloped and provided with spacers !to rest upon the rear end of the sloping top wall of the insulated housing, as may be seen in Fig. 3. The fixture depending from the tank is detachably connected through a comiector 58 to the pipe 59 which extends to the burner. The enclosing cabinet '69 is sufliciently large to provide ample tank space at the rear. By disconnecting the connector 59, the tank may be conveniently removed with the con trol valve and sediment pipe for cleaning and adjusting as a unit, as shown in Fig. 6. A spillway 6 I is provided on the tank extending from around the filler spout down along one side of the tank to discharge spilled oil at a point below the tank from which it is disposed of in a manner to be I subsequently described.

Vanes or fins 62, represented by dotted lines, may be secured firmly in close thermal contact on the side walls of the combustion chamber and projecting laterally and vertically guide the rising air currents and improve heat transfer.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a a sirocco type blower 64 mounted in a space enclosed by the outer cabinet 60 above the insulated top wall of the housing. For silent operation, the motorized blower unit is suspended by apiece of nonmetallic asbestos board 85 from a diagonally disposed rod 6'! extending over the heater.

Connecting from the outlet port of the scroll casing of the blower, I provide an air conducting conduit or discharge nozzle TI which diverges horizontally across the front side of the housing. To flexibly connect the blower to the discharge nozzle, a flexible sheet material 53, such as rubber, leather, canvas or the like, is wrapped around the adjacently disposed ends thereof and secured to the blower by a clamping band 15 and to the is such that it discharges a sheet of air which-is thin vertically and broad horizontally and which is directed forwardly and downwardly over the closely coupled when rock wool 83' is packed into the space in such a manner as to restrict air flow and leave a channel between the sleeve and the blower, and the cabinet 60 is closed by the cover I I5 installed with the edges snugly seated in the channels 84 formed by the rear and side upper edges. A substantial portion of intake air is drawn from around the smoke pipe 31 and also heated air is drawn from the ceiling for more effective distribution while utilizing a portion of the heat in the combustion gases which would otherwise be discharged outside and wasted. Also a portion of the intake air is cool fresh air drawn up the back of the housing under the fuel tank and around the motor, so that these'are not heated by heat from the combustion chamber.

As shown in Fig. 3, the bottom wall I3d of the combustion chamber I3 rests upon sheet metal channel strips 81 secured to the bottom wall of the chamber in spaced apart relation,.as by spot welding for example.

A floor air inlet passage 33' is formed between the spacer strips 81 and extends from the open front of the housing back under the combustion chamber I3 a suitable distance for conducting air on" of the floor of the room into an aperture 9| in the bottom wall of the combustion. chamber through which it passes upwardly around the burner to support combustion in the combustion chamber. Any suitable burner may be utilized. As shown in Fig. 3 the burner may be a conventional pot, type oil burner having a bowlshaped oil receptacle 93.with the lower end of the oil line 59- passing into the rear side thereof. Bracket arms 97 of strap iron are secured, as by welding, between the bottom of. the oil, bowl 93 and the bottom side of the bottom wall I3d of the combustion chamber, for mountin the bowl in a concentric position in the air inlet aperture 9| so that air drawn off the. floor of the heated enclosure may rise freely on all sides. A. perforated cylindrical sheet metal flame bafiie 99, open at both ends, is fitted snugly down into the oil bowl. The burner is a. cylindrical sheet metal enclosure I9I open at the bottom end andfitting down on the floor I3d of the chamber around the outside of a marginal flange I03 turned up around the inlet aperture 9|. The upper end of the enclosure member IOI is partially closed by a cast ring I95 secured thereto, as by brazing for example, and having a central aperture I09 through which the flame passes from the burner.

The side walls of the outer enclosing cabinet 69 extend back and support a second or outside back wall II) spaced back of the insulated back wall of the combustion chamber housing II and providing an air space III through which a portion of the fresh outside air rises, passing forward over the rear edge of the sloping top wall Ila and under the fuel tank 41 which is mounted spaced thereabove on support strips or spacers II3.

As shown in Fig. 3, a top cover H5 having downturned edges I I5 is fitted down snugly into channels -84 formed by reversely bending the upper edges of the enclosing housing II, as may be seen at the upper left-hand corner in Fig. 1. If desired the cover may be provided with apertures through which the upper end of the valve control rod 55 may'project to conveniently position the valve control handle 53 and for filling the tank, as will be understood. The cover II has an aperture around the pipe 37 and the edges of the aperture are turned up and of suitable diameter for receiving the lower end of the larger sleeve 4 I enclosing the stack above the unit. The cover and also the outer back and side walls are made of a suitable gauge of sheet metal to provide the desired strength and rigidity. For a pleasing appearance, the outer surfaces may be provided with any finish desired. For this purpose a brown spatter finish has been found to be very pleasing and satisfactory. The combustion chamber and its closure member are preferably made of heavy blued stove metal.

In operation, my heater and air changer unit is installed, as diagrammatically represented in Fig. 7, upon the floor [2! of the trailer, cabin or other small enclosure wherein it is desired to provide air heating and exchanging for temperature and humidity control and also to circulate the air for even distribution of the heat to provide air flow for human comfort. A hole I23 is provided in the floor underthe unit to provide fresh outside air for heating and ventilation. To mount the heater I provide a sheet metal floor base I25 which, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is provided with marginal upstanding flanges I21 formed by reversely folding the edges of the sheet metal in smoothly rounded form, as shown. The main sheet of the base I25 is formed centrally to provide a downspout I29. The outer sides of the flanges I2! are preferably bent down further than the inner sides were bent up and then the outer edges are bent outwardl to provide a fiat pedestal flange I32 which snugly engages the floor I2i around the margins of the base, and which holds the base sheet spaced above the floor, as may be seen in Figs. 3 and 5. These marginal or pedestal flanges I3I may be secured to a proper position on the floor I2I, as by nails or screws, so that the downspout I29 projects down through the hole I23 in the floor. The flanges I2! are suitably spaced to snugly receive the bottom of the heater unit therebetween, as shown in Fig. 3, and the downspout I29 is suitably positioned to supply fresh outside air to the aperture in the bottom of the heater unit. Any fuel oil spillage dripping from the spillway because of carelessness of the person refilling the tank, or leakage from the interconnecting line will drop onto the base which acts to funnel all such oil down through the downspout I29, and there is no possibility the floor could become oil soaked because of careless operation of the heater. A float I30 in the tank operates an indicator I32 above. A heat collecting sleeve extension II around the stack 3! is extended up and terminated just below the ceiling, as shown in Fig. '7. The burner 34 having been ignited, and the closure 2I being closed, the blower is started and the oil control valve handle 53 is set at a proper position for the heat requirements to be satisfied.

The heat of combustion causes the hot combustion gases to rise up the stack 31 in a well known manner, as indicated by the dotted line and arrows. Because of the baffle 45 between the burner 34 and the exhaust pipe outlet nipple 35, the hot combustion gases are caused to swirl and eddy around in the combustion chamber I3 to carry a larger portion of the heat to the walls of the combustion chamber. As the combustion gases rise up the exhaust stack 31, air is'drawn off of the floor I2I through the air inlet conduit 33 rising into the combustion chamber I3 around the burner, relieving the room of the cold foul air near the floor and utilizing it in the most effective manner for combustion. Fresh outside air entering through the hole I23 in the floor passes around the outside of the combustion chamber I3 and rises therearound, as shown by the arrows. The heated fresh air then enters the space provided between the sloping top walls Iiia and Na of the combustion chamber and the insulated enclosing housing. These top walls slope upwardly from back to front so that the movement of the air is expedited as it rises therebetween, and it is projected laterally with substantial velocity out of the open front of the housing into the room.

The blower 64, suspended for silent operation in the space above the housing, draws in warm air from this space, and from around the stack, and heated air from around the pipe and from adjacent the ceiling. It then projects this air as a thin sheet through the elongated slot I9 in the nozzle II at the front of the unit above the housing opening from whence the hot air is delivered. By the position of the nozzle and by the cooperative action of a deflecting vane I29 projecting down and out on the front edge of the cover II5 just above the nozzle, the blower projected sheet of air is directed forwardly and downwardly, as indicated by the arrows, to so direct the heated air which comes from around the combustion chamber. This spreads all of the incoming heated air forcefully along the floor, to warm the floor and the entire coach with a delightful air movement for maximum comfort. Because the blower intake air is drawn from the space above the housing under the ceiling and around the stack, the thermal efficiency and also the effectiveness of my laterally difiusing air heater and changer in providing human comfort is also substantially increased. The cool fresh air also drawn up to the blower along the back and around the fuel tank and the motor serves to maintain these at a lower and a safer temperature as it is not possible for heat to accumulate at any point while the heater is in operation,

while the projected air is, for the same reasons, a number of degrees warmer.

The coolness of the heater in operation, obtained by collecting up the heat and projecting it out where it is usefully applied, renders it possible to completely enclose my improved heater and ventilator unit, as shown in Fig. '7 in a closet formed by a closet sidewall I33 and a front wall I35, preferably a hinged door, both of which extend all the way from the floor to the ceiling, as will be understood. The other two walls being provided by any two right angle walls of the trailer, or another wall may be provided. In such an installation the front wall I35 of the closet is provided with an opening I31 which admits floor air into the combustion chamber from 01f the floor of the trailer, and also delivers into the room the flow of heated air which is diverted downwardly and diffused from the heater unit. A higher grilled opening I38 permits ceiling air to be drawn into the closet. The fresh outside air being received through the hole I23 in the floor under the heater and the stack extending up through the ceiling above the heater in the closet, there are no visible elements of the heating apparatus except the two openings in the front wall of the closet and these may be covered by any ornamental grills as desired.

It is apparent that within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending variations thereof.

I claim:

1. A heating and ventilating unit comprising, a housing having a bottom wall conformed to provide a fresh air receiving aperture in the bottom and having a Wall conformed to provide a heated air delivery port at a higher level, means forming a combustion chamber in said housing for heat ing air circulating through the housing, an oil burner in said combustion chamber, an oil tank mounted on said housing at a higher level than theburner, conduit means for supplying oil by gravity from said tank to said burner, a filler. opening in the top of the tank, means forming a spillway for receiving spilled oil on the top of the tank and guiding the spilled oil to flow down on one side and pass below the tank for disposing of oil spilled while filling the tank, a floor base for mounting on a floor under said spillway and comprising a metal sheet having upturned sidewalls of a size suitable for conveniently and removably receiving the bottom of said housing with the bottom edges resting therein, and said base having the base sheet formed with a down spout opening down from a suitable position to be associated with the air receiving aperture in the bottom of said housing for supplying fresh air thereto through a floor opening in said floor whereupon the heater unit is installed and also serving as a funnel to discharge any spilled oil.

2. A heating and ventilating unit in accordance with claim 1 and further characterized by having said heated air delivery port formed to open from the front side of said housing, and said tank being mounted upon the rear portion of said housing.

3. A heating and ventilating unit comprising, wall means forming a housing with a sloping top wall and conformed to provide an air receiving aperture in the bottom and a heated air delivery port at the front, a cabinet enclosing said housing and providing a fuel connection space at the rear of said housing, means forming a combustion chamber in said housing for heating air circulating through the housing, an oil burner in said combustion chamber, an oil tank removably mounted on said housing above said sloping top wall and the rear connection space at a higher level than said burner, conduit means connecting from said tank through said rear space to said burner, a control valve in said conduit means, a coupler in the portion of said conduit means leading to the burner so that the tank, conduit and valve may be conveniently removed or installed as a unit, said tank having a top filler opening, spillway means on the top of said tank for receiving spilled oil on the top of said tank and opening over one side for guiding the spilled oil to flow down to a lower level adjacent the bottom of the heaterunit, a base for receiving the bottom of the heater unit and disposed to receive oil from said spillway, an aperture in said base for admitting air to the air receiving aperture in the bottom of said housing and said base having upturned sidewalls snugly receiving the bottom of the heater unit and guiding any spilled oil to flow through the aperture in the base.

ELIAS B. BARNES.

' REFERENCES CITEB The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 8,985 Conger Dec. 2, 1879 2,215,510 Jones et al Sept. 24, 1940 2,318,476 Evans et al May 4, 1943 2,373,759 Hourvitz Apr. 1'7, 1945 2,402,010 Barnes June 11, 1946 

